10 Mental Models for Better Marketing Strategy - Part 1

Ponderings from the Perch

** Be on the lookout for Part 2 to hear mental models Six through Ten **

Stop letting outdated thinking frameworks hold back your marketing strategies.

On this episode of Ponderings from the Perch, the Little Bird Marketing podcast, host and CEO, Priscilla McKinney, introduces powerful mental models that revolutionize marketing strategy and professional decision-making. Drawing from her background as a cultural anthropologist and fractional CMO, she shares how these frameworks can transform both marketing initiatives and broader business decisions.

McKinney discusses the first five fundamental models: map is not territory, circle of competence, second-order thinking, inversion, and availability cascade. She emphasizes how these frameworks can transform your thought leadership strategy and help avoid common pitfalls in marketing decision-making. The conversation explores how these mental models apply specifically to marketing tools and networking tools, highlighting the importance of testing conventional wisdom against real-world results rather than blindly following popular advice.

"The danger comes in when we confuse our simplified understanding of something with the actual thing itself," McKinney explains about ‘map is not territory’. "It's like trying to eat the menu instead of the meal."

While most marketing advice focuses on prescriptive tactics, McKinney challenges conventional wisdom by offering these helpful frameworks to help leaders think better, ask more thoughtful questions, and spot gaps in logic before they become costly mistakes. These mental models serve as cognitive tools for understanding market behavior, customer psychology, and improving campaign effectiveness.

Sponsors:

Priscilla McKinney here! I am very excited to announce the release of my much-anticipated book:

Collaboration is the New Competition: Why the Future of Work Rewards A Cross Pollinating Hive Mind and How Not to Get Left Behind

The book's chapters are designed to be time-efficient, ensuring busy professionals can easily integrate these transformative ideas into their workflow. From discussing the state of affairs in business to providing fundamental strategies and seven practical anchors for staying on course, this book offers a fresh perspective and a competitive advantage in today's complex business landscape. Visit priscillamckinney.com for more information.

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